Electric governor for gas-engines.



No. 727,565. PATENTEDMAY12L1903.

V. G. APPLE. ELECTRIC GO-VERNOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. 1901. N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 727,565. 'PATENTED MAY 12, 1903.

V. G. APPLE. V ELECTRIC GOVERNOR FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. 1901.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m T Q Q 3 UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1963 VINCENT G. APPLE, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ELECTRIC GOVERNOR FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 727,565, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed November 23, 1901. Serial No. 83,3 71. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, VINCENT G. APPLE, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Governors for Gas-Engines; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to. improvements in electric governors for gas-engines.

The object of my invention is to provide a means whereby the admission of fuel into the cylinders of an engine and the admission of air may be proportionally controlled and the speed of said engine regulated by the operation of the variation of an electric current.

My invention relates especially to a means for maintaining a constant current or a current of constant potential from a dynamo operated by the engine sought to be regulated by the application of a portion of the electric energy produced by said dynamo to control the valves of said engine.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a gas-engine equipped with my invention operatively associated with a dynamo suitably connected to actuate the governor. Fig. 2 is a central section of a fuel-supply pipe, including a gate-valve and a needle-valve arranged for the simultaneous regulation of fuel and air supply, both of said valves being shown in closed position.

Both of the valves shown are similar in general constructiomand I have indicated like parts in both valves by the same reference characters.

Referring now to the drawings, E represents an explosivegas engine arranged to drive the dynamo D.

Myimproved governor (indicated as a whole by G) is arranged in the fuel-admission conduit of the engine-cylinder and is suitably electrically connected in a circuit C, energized by the dynamo D.

A indicates a gate-valve adapted to control the admission of air to the engine-cylinder.

B indicates as a whole a valve adapted to control the admission of a hydrocarbon fuel.

1 is a valve-casing.

2 and 3 are the respective air inlet and exit pipes from the valve A.

3 represents the fuel-outlet pipe from the valve B.

'core of an electromagnet provided for moving the valves. 8 is a brass extension of the valve 13, joining the core and valve. 9 is a frame supporting an electric helix 12, in which the said core is adapted to be reciprocated when the said magnet or helix is energized. 10 is an open helical compressionspring adapted to open the valve by raising the core 8 when the helix is denergized. 11 is a screw-threaded stem adapted to vary the tension of the spring 10 for lifting the core extension and valve. 12 represents the electric windings of the solenoid. When the circuit through the solenoid-winding is closed, the core 8 is drawn down farther into the solenoid by the magnetism developed thereby, and the spring 10 is thereby compressed and the valve is closed by the movement of the core 8, which is attached to the valve by the stemB When the magnet is denergized, the spring 10 forces the valve out of its seat, and thereby opens the same.

In valve B the valve-stem 8 which is shown as joining the core of the electromagnet or solenoid 12, carries a needle-point 13, which is the valve proper. The casing 1 of valve B is divided into compartments 1 1 and 15, and the latter is adapted to contain the liquid fuel, such as gasolene, which is designed to be sprayed, aton1ized,or injected and mixed with the incoming air from the compartment 14, opening into the connectingpipe 3. Casin g 16 for the needle-valve is supported in the casing 1 by means of the dividing-walls 17 and 18. A tubular extension 20 from the casing 16 projects into the mouth of the pipe 3 and is provided with a conduit 21, which terminates in a valve-seat 22 for the needle-valve 13. When the circuit is closed through the solenoid of valve B, the needlevalve will be thereby partially closed, and gasolene, kerosene, or like liquid fuel will pass from the chamber 15 through the conduit 21 into the interior of the pipe 3 proportional to the opening of the valve. At the same time-air will be taken in through the pipe 3 into the chamber 14 and will pass into the pipe 3 around the injected charge of liquid fuel emerging from the conduit 21. The gate-valve may be applied to the pipe to regulate in the same manner the quantity of air admitted into chamber 14.

My fuel-valve is preferably used between the usual fuel-supply valve and the cylinder of the engine.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to maintain the current in the dynamo associated with the engine at a practically constant value without reference to the changing conditions of the circuit that is being supplied by the said dynamo.

Normallythe valve supplying the fuel is held open. When the current from the dynamo has reached a predetermined Value, then the magnetic efiect of the current circulating in the windings 12 of the solenoid is just sufficient to maintain the valve open a suitable distance to admit sufificient fuel to drive the engine at the speed required. Should the current be increased in value, the valve will be thereby closed to a proportional extent against the tension of the spring and less fuel is admitted into the cylinder, and, conversely, when the current decreases in value, as by the introduction of more resistance into the circuit, the magnetic strength of the current in the wind ings of the solenoid will be correspondingly lessened, and the spring will open the valve to alarger extent and admit a greater quantity of fuel into the cylinder, which will thereby cause the engine to run at a higher speed and to produce a higher electromotive force, and consequently maintain the current at a normal value.

By placing an air-inlet valve in conjunc tion with the hydrocarbon-valve, as illustrated in the drawings, the quantity of air admitted into the cylinder maybe maintained in the proper proportional degree corresponding with the quantity of hydrocarbon admitted therein. The winding of the two coils controlling the hydrocarbon-valve and the air-valve may be included in electric circuit in series, and both windings may be included in the general circuit in the same manner for this purpose.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an electric governor for gas-engines, the combination with a fuel-supply pipe for a gas-engine, of a fuel-valve and an air-valve arranged in said pipe, electromagnetic means for simultaneously moving both of said valves to regulate the quantity of fuel in the sup ply-pipe, and means for varying the proportionate extent of movement of said valves, whereby the proportions of air and gas may be varied.

2. In an electric governor for gas-engines, the combination with a fuel-supply pipe for a gas-engine, of a fuel-valve and an air-valve arranged in said pipe, electromagnets arranged in series for moving said valves simultaneously, springs associated with each of said valves for opposing the action of the electromagnets, and means for independently adjusting said springs, whereby the proportionate movements of the valves may be varied.

3. In an electric governor for gas-engines, the combination with a fuel-supply pipe of a gas-engine, of a fuel-controlling valve, an aircontrolling valve, electromagnets connected in series, for simultaneously moving said valves, and means for opposing said movement of the valves.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

' VINCENT G. APPLE.

In presence of -L. M. ARNOLD,

WM. W. ARNOLD. 

